But fear the fword like me, he'll fcarcely look on't. Grant fuch a foe, good heav'ns! [She goes into the Cave. Enter Belarius, Guiderius, and Arviragus.

Bel. You, Paladour, have prov'd best woodman, and Are mafter of the feaft; Cadwal and I

Will play the cook, and fervant; 'tis our match:
The fweat of industry would dry, and die,
But for the end it works to. Come, our ftomachs
Will make what's homely favoury; weariness
Can fpore upon the flint, when resty sloth
Finds the down pillow hard. Now peace be here,
Poor house, that keep'ft thyself!

Guid. I'm thoroughly weary.

Arv. I'm weak with toil, yet ftrong in appetite. Guid. There is cold meati'th' cave, we'll brouze on that, Whilft what, we've kill'd, be cook'd.

Bel. Stay, come not in

But that it eats our victuals, I fhould think,

It were a fairy.

Guid, What's the matter, Sir?

Bel. By Jupiter, an angel! or, if not, An earthly Paragon. Behold divineness No elder than a boy.

Enter Imogen.

Imo. Good mafters, harm me not;

Before I enter'd here, I call'd; and thought

[Looking in.

T' have begg'd, or bought, what I have took: good troth,
I have stol'n nought, nor would not, though I'd found
Gold strew'd i'th' floor. Here's money for my meat;
I would have left it on the board, so soon

As I had made my meal; and parted thence

With prayers for the provider.

Guid. Money, youth?

Arv. All gold and filver rather turn to dirt! As 'tis no better reckon'd, but of those

Who worship dirty Gods.

Imo. I fee, you're angry:

Know, if you kill me for my fault, I should

Have dy'd, had I not made it.
Bel. Whither bound?
Imo. To Milford-Haven.
Bel. What's your name?

Imo. Fidele, Sir; I have a kinfman, who
Is bound for Italy: he embark'd at Milford;
To whom being going, almoft fpent with hunger,
I'm fal'n in this offence.

Bel. Pr'ythee, fair youth,

Think us no churls, nor meafure our good minds
By this rude place we live in. Well encounter'd!
'Tis almost night, you fhall have better cheer
Ere you depart, and thanks to stay and eat it.
Boys, bid him welcome.

Guid. Were you a woman, youth,

I should wooe hard, but be your groom in honefty;
I bid for you, as I do buy.

Arv. I'll make't my comfort,

He is a man: I'll love him as my brother:
And fuch a welcome as I'd give to him,

After long abfence, fuch is

yours.

Moft welcome!

Be fprightly, for you fall 'mongst friends,
Imo. (37) 'Mongst friends,

my prize

Afide.

If brothers-Would it had been fo, that they
Had been my father's fons! then had
Been lefs, and fo more equal ballafting
To thee, Pofthumus.

(37) Imo.

Mongft friends?

If brothers, would it had been fo, that they

Had been my father's fons.] I cannot think this the Poet's pointing, and therefore have ventur'd to reform it. Arviragus bad faid, he would love Imogen as a brother, gives her a welcome as fuch, and tells her, she is fal'n among friends.Among friends, indeed, replies the very naturally, if I am to stand in the rank of a brother. Then ftriking into a private reflexion on having loft her own brothers, the wifhes, thefe two kind youths were but her father's fons. This fenfe is plainly confirm'd by what she says in the laft scene of the play, where they are difcover'd to be really her brothers. You call'd me brother,

When I was but your fifter; I, you brothers;
When ye were so, indeed.

Bel

Bel. He wrings at fome distress.
Guid. Would I could free't!

Arv. Or I, whate'er it be,

What pain it coft, what danger, Gods!

Bel. Hark, boys.

Imo. Great men,

That had a court no bigger than this cave,

[Whispering.

That did attend themselves, and had the virtue

Which their own confcience feal'd them; (38) laying by That nothing-gift of defering multitudes,

Could not out-peer these twain.

-Pardon me, Gods!

I'd change my sex to be companion with them,

Since Leonatus is falfe.

Bel. It fhall be fo:

Boys, we'll go

drefs our hunt. Fair youth, come in Difcourfe is heavy, fafting; when we've fupp'd, We'll mannerly demand thee of thy ftory,

So far as thou wilt speak.

Guid. I pray, draw near.

;

[welcome!

Arv. The night to th' owl, and morn to th' lark, lefs

Imo. Thanks, Sir.

Arv. I pray, draw near.

That nothing-gift of differing multitudes,

[Exeunt.

Could not out-peer thefe twain.] The only idea, that differing ean here convey, is, variable, changing multitudes; as in the prologue to 2 Henry IV.

The fill-difcordant, wav'ring multitude.

But then what is the nothing-gift which they are fuppos'd to bestow? The Poet muft mean, that court, that obfequious adoration, which the fhifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. So in K. Henry V.

O Ceremony, fhew me but thy worth;

Art thou aught elfe, but place, degree, and forme?

I am perfuaded therefore, our Poet coin'd this participle from the French verb, and wrote

That nothing gift of defering multitudes,

i. e. obfequious, paying deference.Deferer, Ceder par respect à quelcun, obeir, condescendre, &c. RICHELET.

VOL. VII.

N

SCENE

Sen.

SCENE changes to Rome..

Enter two Roman Senators, and Tribunes.

TH

HIS is the tenor of the Emperor's writ; That fince the common men are now in action 'Gainft the Pannonians and Dalmatians,

And that the legions now in Gallia are
Full weak to undertake our war against
The fall'n-off Britons; that we do incite
The gentry to this bufinefs. He creates
Lucius Pro-conful; (39) and to you, the tribunes
For this immediate levy, he commends ́--
His abfolute commiffion. Long live Cafar!
Tri, Is Lucius Gen'ral of the forces?

2 Sen. Ay.

Tri. Remaining now in Gallia?

I Sen. With thofe legions

Which I have spoke of, whereunto your levy
Must be fuppliant: the words of your commiffion
Will tie you to the numbers and the time

Of their dispatch.

Tri. (40) We will discharge our duty.

(39)

And to you, the tribunes

For this immediate levy, be commands

[Exeunt.

His abfolute commiffion.] Commands bis commiffion is fuch a phrafe as Shakespeare would hardly have us'd. I have, by Mr. Warburton's advice, ventur'd to substitute;

-be cormends

His abfolute commission.

i.e. he recommends the care of making this levy to you; and gives you an abflute commiffion for fo doing.

(40) Tri. We will ifcharge cur duty.] Here the third act ends in the old copies; and Mr Rowe has follow'd that division. Mr. Pope has not only thought fit to degrade the preceding fho't fcene; but alfo to tranfroe hither a fene (lying in Cymbeline's palace) towards the conclufion of the fourth a; and with that finishes the bird. This is done, without any authority from the copies; tacitly, and without any reafon affign'd for it: and, indeed, without any thing in the dif oftion of the fcenary requiring it. If the bringing the acts to more regular equality was the ground of this change, that's a

I

A CT IV.

SCENE, the Foreft, in Wales.

Enter Cloten alone.

AM near to th' place where they fhould meet, if Pifanio have mapp'd it truly. How fit his garments ferve me! why fhould his mistress, who was made by him that made the tailor, not be fit too? the rather, (faving reverence of the word) because, 'tis faid, a woman's fitness comes by fits. Therein I must play the workman; I dare fpeak it to myself, (for it is not vainglory for a man and his glafs to confer in his own chamber) I mean, the lines of my body are as well drawn as his; no lefs young, more ftrong, not beneath him in fortunes, beyond him in the advantage of the time, above him in birth, alike converfant in general fervices, and more remarkable in fingle oppofitions; yet this imperfeverant thing loves him in my defpight. What mortality is! Pofthumus, thy head, which is now growing upon thy fhoulders, fhall within this hour be off, thy miftrefs enforc'd, thy garments cut to pieces before thy face; and all this done, fpurn her home to her father, who may, haply, be a little angry for my fo rough ufage; but my mother, having power of his teftinefs, fhall turn all into my commendations. My horfe is ty'd up fafe: out, fword, and to a fore purpose ! Fortune put them into my hand; this is the very defcription of their meeting place, and the fellow dares not deceive me.

[Exit.

point we are not to tie our poet up to. As the liberty taken, therefore, is both needlefs and arbitrary, I have chofe to follow the order of more authentick copies. Had Mr. Pope Spar'd us a critical note, to justify his conduct in this tranfpofition; I might, perhaps, have fubmitted to the fagacity and weight of it.